Trio of Lions Earn WCC All-Academic Honors

Olivia Bailey and Betsi Metter were named to the All-Academic team.

SAN BRUNO, Calif. -
A trio of LMU volleyball players were honored for their academic achievements on Tuesday, as the West Coast Conference announced the 2011 Women's Volleyball All-Academic Team. Junior Olivia Bailey (3.54 - communications) and sophomore Betsi Metter (3.46 - natural science) took home All-Academic team selections, while senior Lauren DeGrandmont (3.39 - accounting) was listed on the honorable mention list.

Twelve student-athletes were selected to the All-Academic Team to mirror the All-Conference Team that will be released on Wednesday, November 23. Five members of this year's team appeared on the 2010 All-Academic squad.

At the conclusion of each athletic season, the WCC selects an all-academic squad for each WCC-sponsored sport. To be considered in the sport of women's volleyball, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average, be a significant contributor to her team and participate in at least 50 percent of all contests, and have at least sophomore athletic and academic standing with at least one year in residence at the nominating institution.

Bailey and DeGrandmont have each garnered All-Academic recognition in their careers, as Bailey was named to the WCC All-Academic team last year as a sophomore. With the current selection, DeGrandmont has earned All-Academic recognition in each of her three eligible years for the award. She claimed honorable mention as a sophomore before earning a spot on the All-Academic team last season. Just a sophomore, Metter earned the award in her first eligible year of competition.

Bailey enters the final week of the season ranked fourth in the WCC in assists with 1,050 at a rate of 10.00 per set. She has served-up 22 aces to place third on the team in that category, while also notching eight double-doubles.

Metter has been stellar serving as LMU's libero nearly the entire season, collecting a WCC-best 526 digs at a rate of 4.92 per set. Her digs-per-set mark currently ranks second in the LMU single-season record book. Excelling at a number of facets of the game, the native of Phoenix, Ariz. has posted a team-best 42 aces to place second in the WCC in that category.

DeGrandmont is finishing a stellar four-year career for the Lions this season, posting 175 digs. She enters play this week ranked seventh in LMU volleyball history in matches played with 117 and seventh in sets played at 413.